Top positive review

5.0 out of 5 starsTypically saves me time and money vs. buying in a physical store. I can also reduce my credit card risk by pre-paying!

ByZombie Dadon June 23, 2015

I purchased a 12 month Xbox Live Gold membership for the first time on Amazon a couple years ago and I love the convenience. I typically use the "Online Game Code" option which provides you with a code you enter on your Xbox or within your Xbox Live account. This allows me to make the purchase and basically instantly redeem the code on my Xbox Live account. It's great if you need to quickly start, reactivate or extend membership without waiting for a physical card to arrive in the mail or without needing to run to the store to buy one. I also like using these prepaid cards or codes to pay for Xbox Live over paying with a credit card or debit card. If you pay with a credit/debit card Microsoft typically automatically renews it when your subscription is up. As a single dad I may not always have the required funds where they need to be when that happens. I don't like surprises and the associated fees that come with them. ;) I prefer not having a credit card linked to my Xbox anyway because it helps prevent fraud and the kids can't "accidentally" purchase something.

WHICH MEMBERSHIP LENGTH SHOULD YOU PURCHASE?Xbox Live membership pre-paid cards/codes are available in 3 month, 12 month or 24 month subscriptions. I typically buy the 12 month and I'll explain why in a minute.

The 3 months option is good if you're on a tight budget or if you're not sure you'll like Xbox Live. I typically avoid the 3 month option because it costs you much more in the long run. If you pay for 12 months of Xbox Live using the 3 month option at $24.99 you'll pay $99.96 for a year of Xbox Live. For 3 cents more you could have purchased a two year subscription card! (Currently $99.99 That's crazy!

I purchase the 12 month subscription because I know we'll want. . . no NEED . . . Xbox Live all year in our household. The 12 month card saves me money over a monthly Credit Card billed subscription or the 3 month options. In fact if you're patient, I know at least the 12 month memberships go on sale from time to time. I think I scored my first one on Amazon for $39.99 which is about $20 off the normal price.

If you've got extra cash burning a hole in your pocket you can also pony up the dough for a 24 month Xbox Live Gold membership and take advantage of the discount it offers. I'm a bit too cheap and try to hold our household to too much of a budget to justify buying the $99.99 24 month subscription card/code. It does save about $20 vs. buying two 12 month cards but the $19.99 it currently saves me isn't enough to justify the expense. If your'e lucky enough to find these Xbox Live Gold membership cards/codes on sale you can always buy and redeem multiples. You can add them at any time and Microsoft allows you to stack them. I believe you can redeem up to 3 years worth of Xbox Live Gold membership credits on your account at any one time.

Since many parents/grandparents/adults may be considering buying this as a gift they might have questions. The information below should be helpful in these cases. If you're not new to Xbox Live Gold, just skip the rest of this review!

WHAT THE HECK IS XBOX LIVE GOLD?:To any parents, grandparents, adults and gamers that don't know what Xbox Live Gold is: it's basically an extra service that allows video game players to play with other players via the internet. Most of today's games are made to be enjoyed by playing them with and against other players online. The days where you sit on the couch and play with 1-2 other people are pretty much gone. The sad truth is to get the most of their video games, Xbox One and Xbox 360 gamers need Xbox Live Gold. Xbox Live also allows players to access other features like online video etc but the main focus and benefit is online multiplayer gaming.

A word of caution: Parents, adults, guardians. PLEASE monitor what your kids are doing. Just like you shouldn't turn your impressionable child loose on the internet without any supervision or guidance, you shouldn't turn them loose on Xbox Live. People can chat and interact with each other via Xbox Multiplayer games, messages and more. Many games allow players to create their own emblems, logos etc. It should be no surprise that many people (adults and children) can't behave themselves. Online interactions on Xbox Live Gold are largely out of the control of Xbox and the game developers. There are rules governing the actions of players online, but for the most part things are on the honor system. Things ARE moderated to a certain extent but for the most part any disciplinary action is reactionary and comes long after violations of the Xbox Live terms of service. For example, if they receive enough complaints, Microsoft/Xbox will take action against anyone who is acting inappropriately. Unfortunately this action is typically taken long after your child has been exposed to language or images you didn't want them to be exposed to. Just know if your child plays online multiplayer games they WILL eventually hear adult language and sometimes worse. If you aren't comfortable with this do NOT let them use Xbox Live Gold. You can supervise your child, change settings to reduce risks slightly, but in the end you can't control what other players say or do.

Top critical review

So I purchased this here because it was slightly cheaper and I was already ordering other items. It was a gift for my nephews birthday. He was so excited when he got it. But then when I tried to input the code it said it wasn't valid. So I double, Triple and even quadruple checked to make sure I copied the code exactly and sure enough it just didn't work. What a disappointment to let down a child. If I could give this a lower rating I would. Just spend the couple extra bucks and get it from a store.

I purchased a 12 month Xbox Live Gold membership for the first time on Amazon a couple years ago and I love the convenience. I typically use the "Online Game Code" option which provides you with a code you enter on your Xbox or within your Xbox Live account. This allows me to make the purchase and basically instantly redeem the code on my Xbox Live account. It's great if you need to quickly start, reactivate or extend membership without waiting for a physical card to arrive in the mail or without needing to run to the store to buy one. I also like using these prepaid cards or codes to pay for Xbox Live over paying with a credit card or debit card. If you pay with a credit/debit card Microsoft typically automatically renews it when your subscription is up. As a single dad I may not always have the required funds where they need to be when that happens. I don't like surprises and the associated fees that come with them. ;) I prefer not having a credit card linked to my Xbox anyway because it helps prevent fraud and the kids can't "accidentally" purchase something.

WHICH MEMBERSHIP LENGTH SHOULD YOU PURCHASE?Xbox Live membership pre-paid cards/codes are available in 3 month, 12 month or 24 month subscriptions. I typically buy the 12 month and I'll explain why in a minute.

The 3 months option is good if you're on a tight budget or if you're not sure you'll like Xbox Live. I typically avoid the 3 month option because it costs you much more in the long run. If you pay for 12 months of Xbox Live using the 3 month option at $24.99 you'll pay $99.96 for a year of Xbox Live. For 3 cents more you could have purchased a two year subscription card! (Currently $99.99 That's crazy!

I purchase the 12 month subscription because I know we'll want. . . no NEED . . . Xbox Live all year in our household. The 12 month card saves me money over a monthly Credit Card billed subscription or the 3 month options. In fact if you're patient, I know at least the 12 month memberships go on sale from time to time. I think I scored my first one on Amazon for $39.99 which is about $20 off the normal price.

If you've got extra cash burning a hole in your pocket you can also pony up the dough for a 24 month Xbox Live Gold membership and take advantage of the discount it offers. I'm a bit too cheap and try to hold our household to too much of a budget to justify buying the $99.99 24 month subscription card/code. It does save about $20 vs. buying two 12 month cards but the $19.99 it currently saves me isn't enough to justify the expense. If your'e lucky enough to find these Xbox Live Gold membership cards/codes on sale you can always buy and redeem multiples. You can add them at any time and Microsoft allows you to stack them. I believe you can redeem up to 3 years worth of Xbox Live Gold membership credits on your account at any one time.

Since many parents/grandparents/adults may be considering buying this as a gift they might have questions. The information below should be helpful in these cases. If you're not new to Xbox Live Gold, just skip the rest of this review!

WHAT THE HECK IS XBOX LIVE GOLD?:To any parents, grandparents, adults and gamers that don't know what Xbox Live Gold is: it's basically an extra service that allows video game players to play with other players via the internet. Most of today's games are made to be enjoyed by playing them with and against other players online. The days where you sit on the couch and play with 1-2 other people are pretty much gone. The sad truth is to get the most of their video games, Xbox One and Xbox 360 gamers need Xbox Live Gold. Xbox Live also allows players to access other features like online video etc but the main focus and benefit is online multiplayer gaming.

A word of caution: Parents, adults, guardians. PLEASE monitor what your kids are doing. Just like you shouldn't turn your impressionable child loose on the internet without any supervision or guidance, you shouldn't turn them loose on Xbox Live. People can chat and interact with each other via Xbox Multiplayer games, messages and more. Many games allow players to create their own emblems, logos etc. It should be no surprise that many people (adults and children) can't behave themselves. Online interactions on Xbox Live Gold are largely out of the control of Xbox and the game developers. There are rules governing the actions of players online, but for the most part things are on the honor system. Things ARE moderated to a certain extent but for the most part any disciplinary action is reactionary and comes long after violations of the Xbox Live terms of service. For example, if they receive enough complaints, Microsoft/Xbox will take action against anyone who is acting inappropriately. Unfortunately this action is typically taken long after your child has been exposed to language or images you didn't want them to be exposed to. Just know if your child plays online multiplayer games they WILL eventually hear adult language and sometimes worse. If you aren't comfortable with this do NOT let them use Xbox Live Gold. You can supervise your child, change settings to reduce risks slightly, but in the end you can't control what other players say or do.

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My family has had Xbox Live Gold memberships for several years. Every time a membership is about to lapse I begin furiously looking for reduced price memberships. The gold memberships allow you to play certain games with other members online and you also get a certain number of free downloadable games every month. Free games are always great. Even if they aren't the best games, having something new to play is a big hit at my house.By purchasing the digital code you eliminate the need to waste gas driving to the store or waiting several days for a code to arrive in the mail. I had my digital code in my Amazon account within minutes. I entered the code into my Xbox Live account and was playing with friends online a few minutes later.

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First off I don't like Microsoft or any game service having my credit card info!

1) After having to deal with the aftermath of someone breaking into my account and racking up $200+ in charges to my card on file.2) Microsoft automatically re-subscribing if your card is on file (which could be bad if you are low on money when your subscription expires).

I found it a huge pain dealing with Microsoft when someone makes unauthorized purchases using your card on file. I had to get my bank involved to get my money back since Microsoft would barely do anything to resolve the issue.

So I really like that Amazon has this service available. I get an instant code for a Live subscription seconds after checkout, and piece of mind knowing Microsoft doesn't have any of my card info. Trust me, don't keep your card on file on your Xbox. It's safer and saves you headache in the long run.

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Normally I would not 'review' a Membership card but this one bears a closer look. Literally. Not because itdid not work. On the contrary, it worked perfectly. It is because it is from, or for, another country. I find thatfunny because on this web page it says, "This item is not eligible for international shipping". Simple irony.

Except for the X-Box logo, name, and the word 'GOLD' on the face of the paper package most everythingelse, that is in white and green, is NOT in English. There is a white overlay sticker on the section that hasrestrictions, directions, system requirements, etc.; also the added bar code sticker is in English. (The barcode and number were obscured by the reviewer.)

I think it was important to mention since some of you may be getting them and may not want to use themfor fear they won't work. The card worked as promised on my son's old X-Box 360. It has been about 4days now and there have been no problems of any sort.

So you can take a peek at the photos I've uploaded for your own amusement and be 99.9% assured thatyour foreign X-Box Gold card will work in spite of the foreign language. Aren't we just the bon vivant.

So 5 Stars for the foreign Gold card that worked as promised even if they promised in another language!------------------------------------------------------------------------Update April 2016: Absolutely no problems in the past few months of use.

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I like how this code is sent with code securely hidden behind a serrated panel you gently peel off a sticker then tear open. Easy to access yet hidden from prying eyes. If it is tampered with then you know it has likely been used. The physical object itself I have little to no concern with. i will open it, enter the code, wait until I verify I have my membership time, then toss the card. Once you enter the code on the xbox site (or on your console) the card here is garbage. For some reason I can usually find the physical card cheaper than the online code. Here on Amazon, you can almost always find it for less than the advertised price on the card.As for the membership being worth it, if you are a social gamer or want a couple free games (as long as they offer games with gold) then yes. This is more ideal if you have lots of friends who also have gold accounts. If only you have it, it still nullifies the gaming together aspect. There is a lot you can do as a silver member too, so if you are on a tight budget or don't have a good circle of gaming buddies, this might not be worth it. Netflix and other streaming media is now free to use (you pay the service company but you do not need Gold to access anymore) so what used to make this worth it is a bit less. I do recommend paying for a year at a time for the value if you choice to get it. To buy in 3 month increments will cost you nearly double.

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It's a digital code so I can continue to use my Xbox Live Gold membership without any huss or fuss. Thank you Amazon for providing me with this convenient payment option so I can avoid Wal-Mart like the plague and continue to play Xbox from the comfort of my home in my boxers as usual. Life is good!

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Purchased a 3-month Digital Code membership in June of 2017. I received the code within 5 minutes of finalizing my purchase. Entered the code into my son's Xbox Live account and it worked perfectly. These digital codes are much better than using a credit card or PayPal to purchase Xbox Live memberships. By using the digital codes (or cards) your payment information is not stored on the Xbox user account. I learned this the hard way when my son accidentally purchased over $80 worth of skins for his avatar (I had initially used my credit card to purchased his Xbox Live membership). Once your credit card is linked to an Xbox user account, it's a huge pain in the butt to get it removed (same for a PayPal account). I had to spend hours with Microsoft technical support to get them removed from his account. It's digital codes/codes from cards or no Xbox Live at this point.

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The 3 month code works and the promotional code for extra 3 months free (total 6 Months Xbox live). You might have to call Microsoft and Just explain what happened. Microsoft Has a checkout error When you try to apply the code to your Microsoft account. This is the email Microsoft support sent me after I got off the phone with them.Hello *****Thanks for contacting Xbox Support.For your reference, your service request number is 1411888523.As per our conversation today, we spoke about a issue with your subscription code where you were unable to redeem your digital code it shows where your codes was in a checking out error and we were able to do is to push through your 3 month code and confirmed your issue is now resolved.Have more questions?We have plenty of other resources, too—whether you’ve hit a snag like today, or you just want to explore and connect with fellow Xbox enthusiasts.· forums.xbox.com– Discuss topics with other gamers· community.xbox.com/chat– Get help directly from an Xbox Ambassador· support.xbox.com– Read articles to help solve any challenge you may have with Xbox One· account.microsoft.com– Manage your family, payment options, order history, and subscriptionsThanks for letting us assist you today. In the next few days you may receive an email survey regarding your Xbox support experience. Please help us make Xbox even better by sharing your feedback with us.Happy gaming!JovanXbox Customer Support

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So I purchased this here because it was slightly cheaper and I was already ordering other items. It was a gift for my nephews birthday. He was so excited when he got it. But then when I tried to input the code it said it wasn't valid. So I double, Triple and even quadruple checked to make sure I copied the code exactly and sure enough it just didn't work. What a disappointment to let down a child. If I could give this a lower rating I would. Just spend the couple extra bucks and get it from a store.

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Super fast digital delivery of code (less than a minute after finalizing purchase). YESSSS. Son thrilled. When he loaded it up, appeared to actually give him 13 months of Live. Not sure how he got the bonus month or if he was supposed to, but noooot complaining.

Tried to use a $50 Visa debit gift card, but with tax, turned out to be $52 something, so card couldn't be used, since Amazon policy appears to disallow mixed payments with debit gift cards and regular credit cards. Not a complaint, just something to note for others who may be buying with $50 debit gift cards.